


A Different Step

by Niabiaxmoi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 01:25:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11544546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niabiaxmoi/pseuds/Niabiaxmoi
Summary: Hermione Granger is an eager overachiever in want of friendship and a chance to prove herself. Tom Riddle is a taciturn genius searching for a challenge. Could becoming partners in a house filled with prejudice and intrigue lead them to greater things?





	A Different Step

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, constructive reviews are appreciated, but do not feel that you are required to give one. The fact that anyone is reading this is enough. Please, do let me know though if I've made any grammatical errors or if I can improve upon my writing.
> 
> Next, I'm not proficient in British English, or any dialects therein. I've tried working with a beta before who was, but I was lousy at figuring out how to work with the editing tools after she made the corrections. I am not tech-savvy, and I can admit it lol. 
> 
> And finally, I may or may not make consistent updates. My schedule is pretty flexible for now, but it will become busier in the fall.

 

On September 1st, 1938, a small girl with brown, bushy hair gave a nervous look to her parents as looked at a wall in between Platforms 9 and 10. It was a seemingly innocuous day within the range of average autumn temperatures with overcast skies. There were even plenty of people bustling about, completely oblivious to the dilemma in which the girl had found herself.

She reread the letter, but the instructions were the same. The train she was supposed to take was Platform 9 ¾, but where on earth was it? As she pondered her problem, a mother and her son rushed past her and… disappeared? She turned to her parents and gulped.

“I guess this is where we say ‘goodbye’, Mum.”

“Are you quite sure about this, Hermione? You can still head home with us and forget about this nonsense.”

Hermione looked towards her father, who in turn looked to his wife. “Dear, she’s probably better of there than in London with us.”

Her mother sighed as she brushed her daughter’s hair one last time before letting her go from her clutches. “All right. But, you right to us every week! You here?!”

“Yes, Mum!” With that, she gave both her parents a tight hug. Hermione then rushed into a sprint as she pushed her trolley through what appeared to be a wall.

What greeted her was not the impact she was expecting. Instead, she found herself on an equally busy platform with parents saying heartfelt goodbyes to their children. Many of them had owls or cats with them. Professor Dumbledore, the teacher who had taken her and her parents to Diagon Alley, had said that the school had owls for all students to use. Since that was the case, Hermione didn’t see the need for buying one. Besides, her parents had only just gotten back on their feet from the Great Slump. There was no need for unnecessary expenditures.

Gathering up her courage, she took her belongings and trudged up onto the scarlet locomotive. Upon entering the train, she passed through many compartments until she found one with a boy that looked to be about her age. He had black hair that fell in waves with a part on the side and eyes the colour of coal. The robes he wore looked to be worn. _Were his parents still struggling?_

She cleared her throat a little bit to announce herself and interrupt the boy from his book.

“Er, hello! My name is Hermione Granger. And, you are…?”

Hermione held out for him to shake, which he did.

“Tom Riddle. First-Year?” he asked in a slight Cockney accent.

“Yes, though I’m coming a tad late due to my birthday. You?” she nodded as she took a seat. The reaction was quick, but Hermione could have sworn that he looked slightly relieved.

 “Same. Which house are you looking to be sorted into?”

Hermione got the feeling that he would judge her based on her answer. So, she schooled her looks and smoothly said, “Ravenclaw. It appears to be for scholarly-minded, which is perfect for me. I’m rather bookish, if I say so myself.”

She blushed at her own admittance.

“Hmm. I wouldn’t mind Ravenclaw or Slytherin.” He paused for a moment, as if deliberating on something important. “Though, it’s not bad to be bookish if it helps you get to places.”

“I agree.”

A silence erupted before she asked him another question. 

“Have you read all of your books yet?” Tom seemed to be slightly irritated at this second interruption, but answered the question nonetheless.

“Yes. Though, I wish we could have practiced before school.”

“I guess they don’t want us scaring the…,” she tried to remember the term Professor Dumbledore had told her, “Muggles.”

“You’re Muggle-born?” Tom apparently had caught on to the reason for her hesitation.

“Yes. My father’s a doctor, and my mother’s a nurse. I know they’ll miss me, but it’ll honestly be better for them. These past few years have been rather difficult. It must be a relief for them to not have to constantly provide for me. How are your parents dealing with your departure?”

“I don’t have any parents.” His mood visibly darkened at this revelation.

“I’m sorry.” she said, her heart swelling with sympathy.

Feeling decidedly insensitive about her thoughtless remark, she reached over to pat his hand. Tom flinched at the contact, but covered it up with a cough.

“It’s all right. I’m here now, ain’t I?” Tom sneered out indignantly.

“Right! It’s a new experience.” she said, decidedly trying to change the subject. He seemed to be mollified somewhat by her fast thinking.

“Although we didn’t buy them, I did read some books about Wizarding culture. There are so many things that coincide or conflict with our own! Though, I truly hope this place is different.”

She paused and leaned in, “Back at home, I wasn’t always treated fairly because of my desire to learn and the strange things that happened around me. Now, I know it was because I’m a witch. Well, partly anyhow.”

Hermione was surprised that she shared something so personal with a stranger. It just had felt so… natural to speak to Tom since he listened without automatically writing her off as uninteresting. She earnestly hoped that he would not be like all the other children she had encountered and use what she has said against her. Another fleeting flicker of emotion passed through the boy’s face. Though this time, she didn’t quite catch what it was.

“Yes, this is a new chance to put everything behind us. “ he said slowly.  

“On that note, which course do you think you’ll enjoy most? I think Charms and Transfiguration sound rather appealing. And, you?”

“Oh, I think Defense Against the Dark Arts seems interesting. Though, I’m looking forward to Arithmancy. I noticed some of the older students purchasing their books, so I thought to take a gander for myself. It’s like maths, which I’ve always been good at.”

Tom beamed as he talked about his interests and achievements. Hermione was suddenly glad she had come into that compartment. Here, there was someone whom she considered to be an equal.

The rest of their conversation carried on in much the same way until the train came to a halt. It turned out that both had read their books so well that they were arguing over the correct pronunciation, lest they embarrass themselves during class. Nevertheless, it could not have been said that it ever had gotten boring.

                                                               

* * *

 

The first years were gathered onto a shore where there were small boats littered across the sand. On each boat was a lantern, illuminating the water. Speechlessly, Hermione and Tom approached one of the boats. The groundskeeper, Ogg, had briefly told them to leave their belongings on the train since they would be promptly taken to their dormitories by the house elves. The two shared a look at the mention of elves before trotting down to the water.

Once they reached the castle, they were greeted by Professor Dumbledore.

“Take care now to form a queue. We are about to enter the Great Hall, where you’ll eat with your housemates from now on. Your housemates will be your family while at you’re here at Hogwarts. But, you are always welcome to ask your head of house, prefects, or professors any questions.”

He looked over the crowd of nervous First-Years and smiled. “Now, when your name is called, step forward. I’ll put the Sorting Hat on your head. Any questions?”

“Excuse me, sir. Just how does the Sorting Hat work?” a small boy towards the front asked.

“You’ll have to ask the Hat yourself!” The professor responded, his eyes twinkling.

Professor Dumbledore then proceeded to knock on the large, ornate doors twice before opening them. Hermione, Tom, and the rest of the First-Years were treated to a sight of floating candles, four long tables filled with students, and a ceiling that looked like the night sky.

“I wonder how they enchanted it to look like that?” Hermione remarked.

“Well, that could be one of our first projects.”

She quickly turned to Tom. “What do you mean one of our ‘first projects’? Do you mean to continue studying with me?”

Tom gave her a look that expressed how utterly stupid she was for thinking otherwise.

“Of course. You didn’t think that I’d abandon you just because we might be separated into different houses?”

Hermione felt herself blush for the second time that day.

“You’re the only other person I have ever met that has as much sense as I do.”

She supposed that she should take whatever little compliment there was in his statement, despite his arrogance.

“Yes, well, I’m quite new at this.”

“Duly noted.” The corners of Tom’s lips turned upwards to create a smirk and a smug one at that.

“Oh, shove off!” Hermione said exasperatedly.

Suddenly, the entire Great Hall came to a silence as the first name was announced.

“Buchanan, Eleanor!”

The Hat only waited a few seconds before sorting the petite ginger into Slytherin. Then, a boy named Lucas Denbright made his way as the first Hufflepuff. The sorting went on in this vein with one a Ravenclaw and two Gryffindors before Hermione was called.

“Granger, Hermione!”

She gulped and shared a glance with Tom. He tipped his head towards the Sorting Hat, as if urging her forward towards her fate.

The large hat fitted loosely around her head. A soft, raspy voice called her to attention.

“Not bad. A brain like yours would do well in Ravenclaw. Oh, and what ambitions! You’re determined to do well after what you saw your parents go through. I admire that. You’ll have a bit of a rough start, but I can see you doing marvellous in…

“SLYTHERIN!”

“S-Slytherin?!” Hermione sputtered.

If she had looked back toward the First-Year line, she would have noticed the pleased look on her new friend’s face.

The said house clapped politely, but noticeably less so than they had for Eleanor. Her new housemates moved over to give a place for her, though no one spoke a word of welcome to her. They simply whispered quietly while giving Hermione various disdainful expressions, which led her to conclude that she was now a pariah. Her hopes for a fresh start without being a reject were rapidly being dashed. She supposed that once one was a reject, one would always be a reject. Such thoughts made her feel even more dejected.

The minutes slowly ticked on until Tom’s sorting. The Sorting Hat didn’t even rest upon his head for nary a minute when it declared him as belonging to the same house as Hermione. At least she had Tom. Hermione didn’t know what she would have done without him.

Tom sat unceremoniously at her side and was subjected to the same treatment that she had encountered. One conversation was discernible.

“Two Mudbloods! That’s unheard of! That Sorting Hat is becoming decrepit if you ask me!” a platinum blonde boy lamented. His pompous attitude and all-around aristocratic features screamed that he was wealthy and came from a well-respected family.

A frown made its way onto Tom’s face, as he took in the hostile environment in front of them.

“I suppose we still have each other?” Hermione commented quietly, trying to remain upbeat.

“Yes, but we’ll make it work. One day, they’ll see. They will just have to.” That was all he said before digging into the food that spontaneously materialized in front of them.

 

 

 

 


End file.
